- Rodallega (26)
- Date:2009-05-24
- Kick-off:16:00
- Venue:The JJB Stadium
- Attendance:17696
- Referee:Dowd, P
Live Commentary
90mins
The final whistle goes, and Wigan collect maximum points, and it looked that way for a long time with Pompey not offering too much resistance in a game certainly played with an end-of-season feel to it.
90mins
Jon Routledge comes on for Daniel de Ridder.
83mins
Jerome Thomas is booked for a foul on Mario Melchiot.
82mins
Into the final ten minutes, and Wigan seem comfortable with their lead, Pompey have never been out of the game, but they just seem to be lacking something that Wigan haven't been.
78mins
Callum McManaman comes on to replace Charles N'Zogbia.
75mins
Valencia produces a save from the Pompey keeper, and Valencia, as well as Hugo Rodallega have been fantastic for Wigan today.
72mins
Jerome Thomas replaces Jermaine Pennant and Nwankwo Kanu replaces Younes Kaboul in a double change for Pompey.
71mins
Some of the Pompey bench have been warming up and it looks like a change could take place very soon.
68mins
This game has a history of late goals with the last 2 league meetings producing 4 goals in the last ten minutes, so Pompey dont need to worry just yet about tasting defeat.
63mins
Peter Crouch produces a very reckless challenge on Charles N'Zogbia and is rightly cautioned.
59mins
Hugo Rodallega goes through on goal, but his effort hits the side netting, and he is having a great game for the Latics today.
57mins
Richard Hughes is booked for a challenge on Daniel de Ridder.
55mins
Valencia hits a great shot across the face of the goal, but the effort goes just wide of the post.
51mins
Campbell appears to foul Hugo Rodallega, but the ref decides to leave it unpunished,
48mins
Younes Kaboul has a header from inside the box, but his effort goes just over the bar.
45mins
The game restarts, and Wigan will be looking to stay in control in this second half, as they were for large periods of the first.
45mins
Its half time at the JJB, and Wigan go into the break with a single goal lead, the game hasn't produced many notable efforts, but with not much to play for, the pace of the game is certainly understandable.
44mins
Sol Campbell makes yet another clearence from a Wigan corner, and he has certianly stood up to be counted this afternoon.
41mins
Hermann Hreidarsson is cautioned for a bad foul on Valencia.
39mins
Hermann Hreidarsson has a great chance from a Jermaine Pennant corner, but his header goes over the bar.
38mins
Valencia has an effort on goal from inside the box, but he manages to hit his shot wide of the right post.
36mins
Ten minutes until the break, and Wigan are looking relatively comfortable with their single goal lead as it stands, Pompey may need to change tatics if they wish to break Wigan down.
32mins
Sol Campbell makes a great block to give away a corner, he then powers away a header from that corner, a good show of defensive prowess from Campbell there.
29mins
Sol Campbell clears for Pompey from a Rodallega cross, and Rodallega has now scored 3 in his last 4, what an end of season run he's certainly having.
26mins
Hugo Rodallega scores! Charles N'Zogbia provided the cross into the box, and after some defensive confusion, Rodallega latches on to convert from close range to give Wigan the lead.
24mins
Armand Traore tries his luck towards goal, but his effort is wide.
21mins
The glorious sunshine seems to have given the game a very end-of-season feel today, and both sides are playing accordingly with the game not producing too many chances worthy of note so far.
17mins
Asmir Begovic makes two saves in two minutes from Daniel de Ridder and Hugo Rodallega respectively.
16mins
Michael Brown tries his luck from range, but his effort was wide of the goal.
15mins
The odds may be in favour of Pompey getting the positive result today, having won four of the last six League meetings against Wigan, including 3 clean sheets out of those 4 games.
12mins
Valencia is fouled by Hermann Hreidarsson and a free-kick is awarded, today could well see the last game in a Wigan shirt from Valencia, and he'll be looking to go out on a high.
8mins
No chances of note as of yet, however, in 7 previous Premier League meetings, there has yet to be a draw, so the hope for goals could be rewarded by full time.
3mins
Both teams could perhaps be excused for taking it easy today as all eyes appear to be on the big relegation battle, Pompey especially will be very happy that they can relax against Wigan this afternoon.
0mins
Phil Dowd gets the game underway at the JJB. It's all about final league position today, as there is a potential 3 million pound difference in prize fund depending on where these 2 teams finish the day.
0mins
David Nugent doesn't play as he is booked in for a hernia operation tomorrow. Pompey start the game with: Begovic, Kaboul, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Pennant, Hughes, Mullins, Traore, Utaka, Crouch
0mins
Antonio Valencia recovers from a hamstring injury and starts while Kirkland, Mido and Scharner are all out through injury as Wigan begin with: Kingson, Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Figueroa, Valencia, Cattermole, Brown, N'Zogbia, De Ridder, Rodallega
Match Preview
Victory for Portsmouth at the JJB Stadium on Sunday would see them finish above Wigan Athletic, something which seemed highly unlikely just three months ago.
Steve Bruce's side were then seventh, nine points and eight places above Portsmouth, who appeared to be heading towards the Championship.
However since then, the two clubs' fortunes have gone in opposite directions with the Latics being particularly badly hit by the departures of Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios during the January transfer window.
Indeed since going past the 40-point barrier and guaranteeing their place in the Premier League for another season, Bruce's team have taken just one point from a possible 21.
Bruce has decided not to keep Amr Zaki, who was such a goalscoring menace in the first half of the campaign, and is also resigned to losing Antonio Valencia in the summer, so another rebuilding job before the start of next season appears to be on the cards.
As well as Zaki, who has an ankle problem, Chris Kirkland (back) is also injured so Richard Kingson will once again take over in goal.
While Wigan's season has gone backwards in the last three months, Pompey's has moved in the opposite direction since Paul Hart replaced Tony Adams in the Fratton Park hot-seat.
Since losing at home to Liverpool in early February, Pompey have tasted defeat on only four occasions in 13 games, with Monday's 3-1 victory against Sunderland lifting them seven points clear of the bottom three.
Injured duo Niko Kranjcar and Papa Bouba Diop once again miss out, while David James has been forced to undergo surgery on a long-running shoulder injury.
The veteran England international missed the victory over the Black Cats and Asmir Begovic, who replaced James in that game, is expected to keep his place on Sunday.
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Match Report
Luis Antonio Valencia showed just why Wigan Athletic are going to miss him so much next season giving the fans a performance to remember on his farewell appearance at the JJB Stadium.
The Ecuador winger was at his best, particularly in the first half when the Latics dominated the action but only had the one goal from Hugo Rodallega to show for it by the break.
But the Colombian's strike proved to be enough to finish an up-and-down season on a high for the Latics with their first win in eight games.
Valencia was a surprise inclusion but the absentees included Paul Scharner, Chris Kirkland and Mido.
Portsmouth included Wigan target Jermaine Pennant, the player who could replace Valencia next season if Steve Bruce gets his way.
It was Valencia who carved out the first chance with the Pompey defence giving him room to race into the box.
But rather than shoot, he opted to square it for Rodallega but he hammered it well over from eight yards.
A long throw in from Mario Melchiot caused problems for Pompey and the ball ran to Michael Brown but he failed to cash in after hitting a tame shot wide.
But the Latics went agonisingly close when a well struck free-kick from Daniel de Ridder was tipped over the bar by Asmir Begovic.
Valencia threatened again but de Ridder failed to reach the cross and the ball flashed across the face of goal.
A great block by Richard Hughes denied de Ridder a great chance, but Wigan got the goal they had been threatening after 26 minutes.
On form Charles N'Zogbia fired in the cross from the left and Rodallega could hardly believe his luck when the ball landed at his feet for a simple tap in to register his third in four games after a deflection off Sol Campbell.
John Utaka and Hughes combined to give Peter Crouch a sight of goal but his weak shot was easily held by Richard Kingson.
Skipper Melchiot was unlucky not to get a second for the Latics after a neat link-up with Rodallega was thwarted by the keeper.
Valenica was just inches away from cashing in after Pompey waited in vain for an offside flag.
Rodallega hammered one into the side-netting and the lively de Ridder tested the keeper as Wigan hunted the killer goal, but the first-half effort ultimately proved decisive.
Wigan Athletic Team
Portsmouth Team
Wigan Athletic | Portsmouth |
Corners
| 8 | 2 |
Fouls
| 8 | 21 |
Goal attempts
| 19 | 9 |
Shots off target
| 9 | 6 |
Offsides
| 1 | 1 |



86mins
Into the final stages of the game, and its looking like a final day victory for the Latics, unless Pompey can stage a remarkable finish.